SUPREME COURT ORDERS ABACHA SON'S TRIAL FOR THEFT

The Supreme Court has unanimously decided on
Friday that Mohammed Abacha, son of the late
former Head of State, General Sani Abacha,
must be returned to an Abuja High Court and
face his trial.
A 123 count criminal charges have been
brought against him by the Federal
Government of Nigeria, wherein he was
alleged to be in possession of stolen
properties belonging to the Federal
Government.
The theft was allegedly committed by the late
former dictator stole, when he ruled Nigeria.
Mohammed Abacha had previously
unsuccessfully attempted to foil his trial.
Then he proceeded to the Court of Appeal,
where he lost. Finally, he approached the
Supreme Court.
The son of the late ruler declared that the
immunity enjoyed by his father, while in
office, extended to him and that having
forfeited some of the family's properties
confiscated by the government, he should be
exempted from prosecution in line with the he
provisions of Decree number 53 of 1999.
The Court, however, stated that immunity
does not extend beyond the tenure of office
and that even if the late head of state were
alive, he could have been prosecuted for a
criminal offence, not to talk of his son, who
has never been a State Leader.